1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to muzzle brake devices used on firearms to reduce felt recoil to the shooter.
2. Prior Art
A muzzle brake also called by other names i.e. compensator, recoil reducer is designed to vent and/or redirect recoil producing gases upon the discharge of a firearm to reduce felt recoil to the shooter. Since the muzzle brake receives and redirects the expelling gases from the barrel it must be firmly attached to the barrel. First, if the muzzle brake is not firmly attached the gas pressure at the end of the barrel can eject it from the barrel by shear force. Secondly, it the muzzle brake becomes loose from repeated firing it can also be ejected off the barrel with a bullet strike. For these reasons muzzle brakes are attached either by: (1) threading the barrel and the muzzle brake, (2) the barrel is designed/grooved for accepting a particular muzzle brake i.e. military rifle, (3) the barrel diameter and muzzle brake diameter are equal and thus a perfect fit and secured like a barrel band with set screws. However none of the disclosed patents allow for one single muzzle brake to be used on firearms without threaded barrels, barrels with a front sight, or different diameter barrels (meaning one single muzzle brake will fit on more than one size barrel). The following disclosed patents range from actual muzzle brakes to attachments for firearm accessories.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,032,339 by Bounds, U.S. Pat. No. 6,820,530 by Vais, U.S. Pat. No. 4,436,017 by Mohlin, and U.S. Pat. No. 2,852,983 by Netzer, all illustrate a screw-on type muzzle brake onto a similarly threaded barrel. These inventions met the requirement of rigid attachment to the barrel however one major drawback is that all require a barrel to be threaded. The firearm is permanently altered and if the front sight is too close to the front of the barrel it will need to be removed before the barrel can be threaded. Altering the barrel by threading it alters the value of the firearm. The second drawback is the cost for threading the barrel. Also Mohlin uses a wear ring in the front of the muzzle brake that can be replaced when it becomes worn but is not designed to be used for different calibers or different positions of the projectile passing through the exit hole due to multiple barrel sizes.
U.S. Pat. No. D449,668 by Gangl illustrates a slide-on type muzzle brake. For this design to work the inner portion that houses the barrel must be the same diameter as the barrel for a snug fit. Due to this design one muzzle brake cannot be used on multiple firearms because different firearms have different barrel diameters. Another drawback of this design is that the expelled gases are partially redirected and there is no forward pull of the firearm by gases hitting the end of the muzzle brake. The brake is strictly flow through.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,191,330 by Olson illustrates a bolt-on type firearm accessory attached to the barrel of a firearm. The design however is for a vibration damper. The side clamp as designed could not withstand the force of muzzle blast if it were used to attach a muzzle brake.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,073,755 by Poate illustrates a bolt-on type firearm accessory attached to the barrel of a firearm. The design however is for an attachment to a tripod or carriage. The side clamp is semi-cylindrical on each inside portion of the clamp and because of this shape the clamp is then restricted to one barrel size only.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,390,658 by Towson illustrates a slide-on type muzzle brake. The design allows for the muzzle brake to slide onto the barrel and hook the front sight which holds the device onto the barrel. The drawback is that the muzzle brake must fit the barrel with close tolerance including the front sight. In other words the device must be designed specifically for each barrel with a front sight for diameter and front sight location and size. Secondly on barrels without a front sight this design will not work.
One muzzle brake on the market (www.brownells.com—“adjustable muzzle brake”) is a slip-on type but it cannot be used on firearms that have a front sight within 1″ of the muzzle. Also each muzzle brake will fit only one barrel size meaning that over 20 different sizes are built to fit a group of firearms.
DRAWINGS - Reference Numerals1 bolt2 upper clamp assembly2aupper clamp2bupper clamp2cupper clamp2dupper clamp5 lower clamp assembly5abase5bbolt receptor5cbolt receptor6 muzzle brake tube7 muzzle brake tube entry aperture8 muzzle brake tube exit aperture9 muzzle brake tube orifice10 orifice bolt11 cushion plate12 firearm barrel